The forest with secret waterfalls and an eerie lodge named the UK’s best for walks

You may never have heard of this forest, which sits high on a mountainside and is less than 100 years old.

In that short time, this hidden gem has become a favourite with visitors who love its fresh pine scent, peaceful walking trails and wide open views.

Hidden just off one of the tracks is an old gamekeeper’s lodge that now stands empty deep within the trees.

Photo © Eirian Evans (cc-by-sa/2.0)

There is also a peaceful lake, and the River Clwyd begins its journey here. The forest is home to a rare breed of wild horse that was once thought to be extinct, as well as one of Britain’s best loved animals, the native red squirrel.

Clocaenog Forest lies on Mynydd Hiraethog, an upland area in Conwy and Denbighshire, and offers much more to explore.

It has recently been named at the top of a list of the 50 best UK forests for autumn visits, according to North Wales Live. Welsh woodlands performed strongly overall, with nine forests appearing in the top 26.

One of those was Gwydyr Forest near Betws y Coed in Conwy, which came fourth on the list. Surrounded by lakes in the heart of Eryri, Gwydyr is known for its wildlife, scenic walking routes and cycle trails.

It is also home to the Caerdroia Labyrinth, the largest of its kind in the world, which will co host a new Welsh Robin Hood festival later this month.

Photo © Eirian Evans (cc-by-sa/2.0)

The rankings were put together by HomeToGo, an online holiday rental search site.

About Clocaenog, the company said: “This forest is filled with clearly marked trails. Some routes lead to hidden waterfalls such as Rhyd y Gaseg, while others take you up to hilltop landmarks like Pincyn Llys.

Wildlife fans can look out for rare black grouse and shy red squirrels, or follow the Coed y Fron Wyllt path through ancient woodland to a wetland wildlife hide.”

The results were created by looking at different data categories. Serenity was scored highest for forests with lower online search numbers, suggesting they are less crowded. Prices were based on the average cost of a night’s accommodation nearby.

Remember - LeaveNoTrace!

As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!

Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.

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